Interagency Task Force on the Economic Development of the Southwest Border

Executive Order 13122 of May 25, 1999

Interagency Task Force on the Economic
Development of the Southwest Border

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, and in order to provide a more rapid and
integrated Federal response to the economic development
challenges of the Southwest Border region, it is hereby
ordered as follows:

Section 1. Establishment of an Interagency Task Force
on the Economic Development of the Southwest Border.
(a) There is established the “Interagency Task Force
on the Economic Development of the Southwest Border”
(Task Force) that reports to the Vice President, as
Chair of the President's Community Empowerment Board
(PCEB), and to the Assistant to the President for
Economic Policy, as Vice Chair of the PCEB.

    (b) The Task Force shall comprise the Secretary of
State, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce,
Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, Secretary
of the Interior, Secretary of Education, Secretary of
Health and Human Services, Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of
Labor, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of the
Treasury, Director of the Office of Management and
Budget, Director of National Drug Control Policy,
Administrator of General Services, Administrator of the
Small Business Administration, Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, or their designees,
and such other senior executive branch officials as may
be determined by the Co-Chairs of the Task Force. The
Secretaries of the Treasury, Agriculture, and Labor
shall Co-Chair the Task Force, rotating annually. The
agency chairing the Task Force will provide
administrative support for the Task Force.
    (c) The purpose of the Task Force is to coordinate
and better leverage existing Administration efforts for
the Southwest Border, in concert with locally led
efforts, in order to increase the living standards and
the overall economic profile of the Southwest Border so
that it may achieve the average of the Nation.
Specifically, the Task Force shall:
    (1) analyze the existing programs and policies of
Task Force members that relate to the Southwest Border
to determine what changes, modifications, and
innovations should be considered;
    (2) consider statistical and data analysis,
research, and policy studies related to the Southwest
Border;
    (3) develop and recommend short-term and long-term
options for promoting sustainable economic development;
    (4) consult and coordinate activities with State,
tribal, and local governments, community leaders,
Members of Congress, the private sector, and other
interested parties, paying particular attention to
maintaining existing authorities of the States, tribes,
and local governments, and preserving their existing
working relationships with other agencies,
organizations, or individuals;
    (5) coordinate and collaborate on research and
demonstration priorities of Task Force member agencies
related to the Southwest Border;
    (6) integrate Administration initiatives and
programs into the design of sustainable economic
development actions for the Southwest Border; and

    (7) focus initial efforts on pilot communities for
implementing a coordinated and expedited Federal
response to local economic development and other needs.
    (d) The Task Force shall issue an interim report to
the Vice President by November 15, 1999. The Task Force
shall issue its first annual report to the Vice
President by April 15, 2000, with subsequent reports to
follow yearly and a final report on April 15, 2002. The
reports shall describe the actions taken by, and
progress of, each member of the Task Force in carrying
out this order. The Task Force shall terminate 30 days
after submitting its final report unless a Task Force
consensus recommends continuation of activities.

Sec. 2. Specific Activities by Task Force Members and
Other Agencies. The agencies represented on the Task
Force shall work together and report their actions and
progress in carrying out this order to the Task Force
Chair 1 month before the reports are due to the Vice
President under section 1(d) of this order.

Sec. 3. Cooperation. All efforts taken by agencies
under sections 1 and 2 of this order shall, as
appropriate, further partnerships and cooperation with
organizations that represent the Southwest Border and
with State and local governments.

Sec. 4. (a) “Agency” means an executive agency as
defined in 5 U.S.C. 105.

    (b) The “Southwest Border” or “Southwest Border
region” is defined as including the areas up to 150
miles north of the United States-Mexican border in the
States of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California.

Sec. 5. Judicial Review. This order does not create any
right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law by a party against the United
States, its agencies, its officers, or any person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    May 25, 1999.